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Non-Linear Finite Element Analysis of Flexible Pipes for Deep-Water Applications

Completed

Project description

Aims of the project include the development of refined finite-element models for the simulation of the non-linear behaviour of deep-water marine risers accounting for frictional contact and additional material and geometrical non-linearities.

A two-level sequential multiscale framework is currently under investigation consisting of

  1. a new corotational, elastoplastic beam element for flexible pipe modelling,
  2. a representative volume element (RVE) consisting of a detailed shell-element model with interlaminar friction
  3. a scale-linking scheme for a multiscale analysis using (1) and (2), justified using homogenisation theory.

This enables wire stress-history data to be recovered for fatigue evaluation by postprocessing the results of a large-scale dynamic analysis using (1).

Methods involve the use of user defined subroutines in the commercial finite element code Abaqus using programming in FORTRAN.